Foreign policy will get increased attention in the two debates left between President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, with the final debate set to be entirely devoted to the subject.

The slugfest between the vice presidential candidates highlighted the toughest challenge for the Republican ticket, namely how to differentiate from Obama administration policies. The vice presidential debate left a number of questions unanswered about how each side distinguishes itself when it comes to national security.

Here's a look at a few of those issues.

How far does the Romney-Ryan doctrine extend?

U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin laid out the Romney-Ryan baseline for using American troops. Put simply, it is when it "is in the national interests of the American people."

That's a broad doctrine, but Ryan did give some sense of how it would apply.

For one thing, he said it does not preclude "embargoes and sanctions and overflights, those are things that don't put American troops on the ground."

But there has not been enough discussion to ferret out how that differentiates the Republicans from the Democrats.

On Iran, Obama has said the military option is on the table. During the debate, Biden said the military option should be the "absolute last resort." Ryan could only say that the threat is "not being viewed as credible" but a Romney administration "will have credibility on this issue."
With Syria, the stance is no different than Obama and Biden either.

"Nobody is proposing to send troops to Syria. American troops," Ryan said.

How this doctrine extends to other scenarios remains unclear. Asked whether humanitarian issues would merit American troops under this definition, Ryan suggested it would be given the same consideration of needing to be "in the national interests of the American people."

But what about going into Pakistan if necessary to fight the Taliban shooting at American troops? What does Romney-Ryan think of using troops, as Obama has, as advisers to help chase down Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony in Africa? Or massing a relief effort after an earthquake in Indonesia, for example?

Who is to blame on Benghazi?

There's no question that the administration's handling of the aftermath of the deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi has put the Obama-Biden ticket on its heels . Biden's debate performance opened the door to further accusations that the White House was looking to blame the State Department and intelligence community rather than itself.

Much attention was given to Biden suggesting that the administration did not know of any requests for additional security, seemingly contradicting testimony of State Department staff earlier in the week who had told Congress of receiving numerous requests made for additional security. The next day, spokesman Jay Carney sought to explain that the vice president meant that the White House itself was not aware of requests for such security changes since that is something that was handled within the State Department.

But Biden also defended against accusations that the Oval Office clung too long to the theory that the attack grew spontaneously from a protest over an anti-Muslim video.

"Because that was exactly what we were told by the intelligence community. The intelligence community told us that," Biden said.

Where does the buck stop for the president then?

"It seems to me that you should take a look at his most important responsibility. That's caring for the national security of the country. And the best way to do that is take a look at how he's handled the issues of the day," Biden said.

Of course, with three investigations just started - an FBI criminal investigation, as well as a congressional and a State Department investigation - the answer of who is responsible is going to take time to resolve. But Obama may have to answer where his responsibility is in this matter.

What exactly is the Romney-Ryan plan for defense spending?

Ryan left his presidential partner with some explaining to do about what exactly is the anticipated cost of increasing defense spending, as the Republican ticket is proposing to do.

The strategy is perhaps one of the most striking national security differences between the two sides.

Obama has already announced close to $500 billion in defense cuts as a way to help balance the budget. Romney and Ryan never miss a chance to blame the president for another $500 billion in impending defense cuts under the deal reached with Congress should deficit reduction measures not be reached. Never mind that is a plan to which Republicans themselves agreed.

But the Romney-Ryan plan calls for defense spending at 4% of GDP, which would lead to an increase of $2.1 trillion in defense spending over 10 years, according to an estimate done earlier this year for CNNMoney. But when Biden yielded that figure last week, Ryan said that was not the plan.

"So we're saying don't cut the military by a trillion dollars. Not increase it by a trillion, don't cut it by a trillion dollars," Ryan said during the debate.

But Ryan never explained what the increase (you can read more about that proposal here) would add up to. Romney may have to do that math for America.

Could the longest war go even longer than planned?

The president's plan has U.S. combat troops scheduled to be out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

Biden, on Thursday, stated it clearly enough.

"We will leave in 2014," he said. He did not mention the intention to maintain an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 troops in Afghanistan to help with any further training, advising and, if needed, to deal with threats to America's own interests, though not by definition for combat.
Ryan left open the door for troops staying beyond that date, though the Republican ticket agrees with the 2014 transition date.

Raddatz: You're saying that's not an absolute, but you won't talk about what conditions would justify ...

Ryan: Do you know why we say that?

Biden: I'd like to know... (crosstalk)

Ryan: Because we don't want to broadcast to our enemies "put a date on your calendar, wait us out, and then come back." We want to make sure ...

The day after the debate, however, Ryan's spokesman Brendan Buck told CNN that the candidates are committed to the same 2014 transition date as Obama but "believe troop withdrawals within that time frame should be directed by the advice of commanders."

So that leaves some confusion about the Romney-Ryan stance.

Of course, any decision to stay beyond 2014 is not just up to the U.S. It is a matter that would need to be renegotiated with Afghanistan. In addition, the idea that combat could continue might not sit well with a war-weary nation and a military community that already has a 2014 goal post in front of them.

soundoff(264 Responses)

BinaryTooth

Yep. The question is how could Obama let this happen in a country that was taken out during the Arab Sprint, replaced the government with Islamist extremist, in a country where there is very active terrorist cells, where our ambassador requested more security, ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11.

OBAMA IS A CHILD AND HE DROPPED THE BALL. OBAMA NEEDS TO ACT LIKE A MAN AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY INSTEAD OF HIDING BEHIND THE HEM OF HILLIARY'S DRESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look at that photo - Joe Biden - body language experts might point out that he was protecting himself from the sudden shock of the guilts? Piers Morgan has nasty British humour (I know that's how you spell it:)) Hmmm, wasn't Dan Rather CBS's WH Correspondent back in the old Watergate days? Piers is pure highly intelligent evil (wink)

Hillary Rodham (Clinton) participated in Watergate hearings - guess flashbacks drove her to fess up first - just my honorable assumption of some shred of nobility left on her part - before it gets any deeper.

Listen to the heart of a Navy SEAL: Thump-thump Thump-thump Thump-thump THUMP-THUMP

October 16, 2012 at 3:56 am |

GGenua

oh gee... obama's not at fault for lybia... Hillary is!!! whodathunkit??!! Let me say one final thing on this... after hearing about all those managers and other people that work under other people and how you;d have to be in 50 places at once to be able to know everything... All i need is for the president of the US to KNOW whats goin on in a war zone... the problem was not a surprise... additional security was asked for well in advance (weeks)of the tragic day... I think someone should have informed the commander in chief of the situation.... to say he didnt know stinks of BS. Today Obama spent time commenting on the fued going on with the judges on "idol"... Mariah Carrey and someother singer I'm sure obama knows by name. And seemed to have an intimate knowledge of that by his answer given... Yet he didnt know about a national security problem in a war/terrorist zone. But i see.... he was counting on Hillary.... and she just let us all down... especially Embassador Stevens and his aides. I feel sorry for Mrs. Clinton who has to be the scapegoat for this non-leader. CEO's get fired for lesser things and they dont blame the manager. And we aint talking about a corporation here... we're talkin about something way more important that costs lives AND money. Man up obama... or get the bleep out!

I read your statements.
You and the rest of these planted rups are as dumb as as a bag of rocks.
Romney and Ryan are liars and change like the wind. So go a head and say what you want only a few is fool by the lieing mouth of those two. Keep trying to spin it "Your a fool"

They had local Libyian militia men guarding our embassy in Libya. Who really thinks this is a decision made by the state department? US Marines guard embassies in vacation destinations like London and Paris, but not in a war zone?

been near two hours since i asked if anyone can name something the president has taken fault for... still no examples given. And this may be a sarcastic, snide remark posed in the form of a question... but can ANYONE name one thing the presidant has taken personal fault for?

Did you know that to balance the budget , would require Anincrease of Federal taxes collected of $8,00 for each American Worker? Or that, even you entirely cut all Defense, Medicare and Medicaid expenditures, the US still would have a massive deficit? Or that Reagn trpled the National Deficit, adn BUsh Jr doubled it? Or that 90% of our National deficit was accured undet a Repubican Presidential administration and a Republican Congress?

To repay the National debt would require a $128,000 payment form each American worker, And most don't even have that amount of net worth.

Obama's abysmal performance at the last debate. He took credit for hat.

My 2 cents: How polite is it call call Romney out for the liar he is.

Did you know that to balance the budget , would require An increase of Federal taxes collected of $8,000 for each American Worker? Or that, even you entirely cut all Defense, Medicare and Medicaid expenditures, the US still would have a massive deficit? Or that Reagan tripled the National Deficit, Bush Jr doubled it? Or that 90% of our National deficit was accrued under a Republican Presidential administration and a Republican Congress?

To repay the National debt would require a $128,000 payment form each American worker, And most don't even have that amount of net worth.

October 15, 2012 at 6:44 pm |

GGenua

steve... i stand corrected.... finally ... after 2 and a half hours someone thought of something he took credit for.... and i eat my hat in your honor....

But.... did you know.... that Obama has spent more money than ALL OTHER US PRESIDENTS COMBINED? We went from just over 1 trillion to now over 6 trillion in just inder 4 years? THAT is why we all owe $128,000 each. And NOW.... NOW.... during election time... he says he wants to try and reduce the deficit.... my questions are.... why not before? didnt he say he would cut the deficit in half in 3 years? Didnt he promise way more jobs than he's produced? didnt he say he would grow our economy at 3% or better? I mean who's lying here? Now... during re-election.... he's making all the same promises again.... its like.... ooops ... sorry ... give me another kick at the can? I still dont hear how he will do it this time either.... just like last time.... i heard no plan.... he's the least transparent and most bipartisan president EVER! How do you get anything done in washington by alienating the other half of the governing body? Says he cant change washington from the inside when he campaigned last time with on the promise of changing washington once he got in! Remember hope and change??? Yeah ... he changed things alright.... foodstamp recipients doubled... deficit quintupled.... poverty level increased.... illegal immigration out of control.... middle east imploding... gas prices doubled .... utility prices way up.... food prices up.... building material prices up... wages down.... This man needs to go steve... I'd take any president over Obama... he has done everything in his power to stear this country off the nearest cliff. And is blamng everyone and everything around him. People need to make a list.... pros and cons.... an honest one... and if you still want obama.... then we deserve what we get.

October 15, 2012 at 7:02 pm |

GGenua

I am an independant..... i vote for the man not the party.... with that said.. obama, the man... told me last time that he would bring the parties together.... that he would reach across the aisle and compromise to move this country forward and that if he didnt .... this would be a one term proposition. The man needs to be held accountable. He did NO SUCH THING as he said he would.... he alienated the republicans so much so that obamacare was passed without a single republican vote.... when the dems owned all of congress.... he did it DESPITE clear evidence that the majority of the american people were against it, as was clearly apparent after the 2010 election cycle. And now.... he's admitted that he cant change washington from the inside out ... his words.... So am i suppose to believe he's gonna do better this time? When he cant even admit his faults? Oh except of course that he wasnt great at the last debate.... well look around steve.... there was no one else to blame..... and even then he called romney a lair about everything.... so the fault was romneys for lying and obamas for failing? ok ... rant over.

October 15, 2012 at 7:15 pm |

Steve

his abysmal performance at the last debate. He took credit for hat.

My 2 cents: How polite is it call call Romney out for the liar he is.

Did you know that to balance the budget , would require An increase of Federal taxes collected of $8,000 for each American Worker? Or that, even you entirely cut all Defense, Medicare and Medicaid expenditures, the US still would have a massive deficit? Or that Reagan tripled the National Deficit, Bush Jr doubled it? Or that 90% of our National deficit was accrued under a Republican Presidential administration and a Republican Congress?

To repay the National debt would require a $128,000 payment form each American worker, And most don't even have that amount of net worth.

I think you meant the US went from $11+ Trillion to 16 trillion in less than 4 years.. Bush Jr actually beat that.. he increased it $4.7 Trillion, and any reasonable sensible OR intelligent person would attribute some of Obama's accrued debt to his predecessors.. For that 11+ Trillion in debt required interest payment.. which comprised a hefty portion of his budget( 3RD LARGEST OUTLAY ). The Highest deficit was in 2009, under Bush's budget..$1.43 Trillion (yes, Obama took office in 2009, but Bush owned the budget for the first 9 months) . Obama never hit that mark.

Call what is fair.. Obama excesses is smaller than either Bush' or Reagan for that mater. AS I said.. Republicans s re directly responsible for 90% of the US debt., don;t blame Obama for that.. You can blame for for many things.. but lets call a spade a spade and not get racist about it. The crux of the problem he did not create, he is actually solving some of the problems with an obstinate incalcitrant congress.

October 15, 2012 at 7:23 pm |

GGenua

hasnt passed a budget in 3 years.... blames the republicans for not compromising.... no... really? you mean those guys on the other side of the aisle you threw under the bus again and again.... they arent compromising? shocker! Yet he keeps spending like he's got a money tree grove though... wants another stimulous if he gets re-elected. What? the 900BILLION didnt do it for ya last time? OK so he's gonna grow the economy with another stimulus and he's gonna cut the deficit again.... ok.... so last time cutting it meant increasing it 5-fold.... growing the economy at 3% actually meant 1.3% .... i really dont wanna see what all his figures really means this time. Unreal.... please wake up america. It aint lookin pretty.

October 15, 2012 at 7:25 pm |

GGenua

we can go back and forth a hundred times here steve.... but to me... the economy is limping along..... bush was fighting wars and thats when his economy started to go into the tank.... before the wars there was a surplus and he was keeping it in the black...the surplus was created by, first... the reagan tax cuts... and then by clinton who rode the internet boom tide.... and yes i agree that while obama inherited quite a mess.... he's aslo made it impossible for both parties to work together to get any sort of real economic growth going.... but i guess if we're happy to be liming along then ok... i guess more of the same bipartisan politics are fine.... in my opinion though... I'd scrap this mess and start with someone fresh. Broken promises just dont sit well with me.

October 15, 2012 at 7:35 pm |

Susan

He didn't admit it until a week later. At first it was liar, liar, pants on fire. This Mitt Romney lied, and I couldn't go after him. Then the commercial on Big Bird while all this going on in Libya. Then he admitted he didn't do well. Eventually. Instead of saying the buck stops with me the first time.

October 15, 2012 at 7:40 pm |

DOGFIGHTER

The President is incapable of admitting guilt - read "All The President's Men" by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward

Obama's MIA most of the time. He only attended 1/3 of his natl. security meetings. He goes on the View and Letterman instead of meeting with dignataries from other countries while the Middle East is imploding. He goes to Vegas to campaign as soon as the Ambassador was killed in Libya. He's had a minimum of 115 golf outings and 23 vacations . He needs to go.

Obama receives daily security reports. Most Presidents have never had daily in-person briefings. Bush Jr.started this in his term because he doesn't like to read. Reagan didn't have them, Bush Sr didn't and neither did Clinton. Also, if you're worried about Obama's golf-outings, why did you not complain about Bush being in Texas cutting brush all of the time. Look up who has takes the most time off from the White House. It was Bush Jr.

October 15, 2012 at 6:33 pm |

Francisco DeCastrp

Things can be done over the phone. Things can be done with webcam. If you think about it, If Obama would have to be in an important meeting every day he would have to split into 50. Have you noticed that every branch merchandise, let's say like burger king, every store has it's owner. Then theres a store manager. Then managers for every shift.
The same goes for Obama. Obama has people working for him. And Obama has people that work for his people. And it was VERY clear that Obama has American representing people in EVERY single international security meeting.

1 – That was a snarky, sarcastic comment posed in the form of a question. It says much more about you than it does the President.

2 – No....the President is not perfect. We didn't get a public option in the ACA.

October 15, 2012 at 5:47 pm |

GGenua

I'm only asking cuz i can think of an apology for some error in some form or another from just about every president thats ever served since i been alive... and i'm 50YO. I even heard Romney apologize for the 47% remark. I seem to remember a quote from some president that went like this... "the buck stops here!". Which means, i believe, that ultimately the leader is responsible.... but for the life of me i have never heard obama take fault for anything... in fact i believe he still blames bush for his golf handicap... the reasoning is that if bush would have left him a better economy he could have been on the course alot more often and been a better golfer..... but seriously..... i think its a valid question... can anyone please enlighten me.... i believe he was once asked in an interview what his greatest fault was... and ... belittling our inteligence.... he said that he didnt explain his policies good enough to the american people.... as if we didnt understand all his countless speeches... so in all seriousness..... i would like an example of this "leader" showing the leadership quality of taking blame for something.... what president was it that once said..."the buck stops here!"? He may not be perfect.... but your reply seems to blame me for the presidents inability to see his own faults and lack of leadership.... and tells me more about you than you may think.... i guess like minds blame alike.

October 15, 2012 at 6:02 pm |

GGenua

so i guess, in your opinion, its not the president's fault for not being able to take fault for anything. Its actually my fault for asking this question. hmmm... I see....

October 15, 2012 at 6:27 pm |

Francisco DeCastrp

Before I answer your questions, I would like to tell me what President Obama should apologize for?

There are many things you do wrong, it does not mean they require an apology.

Apologies are required when you make a negative effect of someone or peoples, like an attack, racism, bad name calling. But let's say I put the sheets wrong on my bed, it means that I was wrong, but I don't have to apologize to anyone, it just means I'm not perfect. But talking about the 47%, that is a negative affect on the people. Get it?

Now Taking credit for something is completely different. And the President has taken credit for everything. Watch the first debate, he said he takes credit. Very Clear.

October 15, 2012 at 7:40 pm |

heathergirl1234

Yeah, he takes credit. But really takes responsibility.

How is it Bush is still responsible for everything that goes wrong, but never for anything that goes right? Odd huh that he somehow is magically only responsible for things that go wrong.

Obama, equally magically, seems to be responsible for anything that goes right.

I don't buy into conspiracy theories but what I do know without ANY question or conspiracy buy in is that QE3 essentially allows an extra $40 billion a month of money to be created out of thin air. The Fed is printing it and purchasing the associated debt. Why is that a big deal? Because they are pumping money into banks to keep interest rates low. That has three long term problems. It is really our debt, interest rates will HAVE to go up eventually and the production of anything (including currency) reduces the value of that any thing including currency. It devalues the dollar meaning it buys less. And who does that hurt? The poor and the middle class. Their limited dollars buy less and less and less. Those on fixed incomes find their purchasing power lowered. And elderly living off interest can't even keep up with true inflation.

But hey...Romney beat a kid up, tied a dog to the roof of his car and won't release his taxes. THOSE are the real issues, Myke. Get with the program!

"When the attack began, a Diplomatic Security agent working in the Tactical Operations Center immediately activated the Imminent Danger Notification System and made an emergency announcement over the PA. Based on our security protocols, he also alerted the annex U.S. quick reaction security team stationed nearby, the Libyan 17th February Brigade, Embassy Tripoli, and the Diplomatic Security Command Center in Washington. From that point on, I could follow what was happening in almost real-time."

Follow.....not watch.

There was no video in hand until the FBI recovered it in Benghazi on Oct 4.

A few things had to have happened for the VP's story to have credibility. The State Department watched the attack in real time according to Charlene Lamb. State Department official said they never concluded the video was to blame. Yet, O and Biden were told it was the video? Why?

WHY definitively blame the video at first? Why not simply say there was an investigation under way? There was no need to jump to a conclusion if one could not be adequately reached. What purpose did it serve?

They were playing gotch politics with Romney....Axelrod wanted to punish Romney for speaking out against the apology USA Embassy in Egypt made. To do that he had to make Romney seem incentive to the deaths in Libya...For that to work it had to be about the Video...Of course axelrod did not know it was not a protrest about the video in Libya ...but once the train started in that direction he could not stop it unitl it wrecked.

Rick, you are wrong. As I heard the testimony and as eveidence in BloombergBusinessWeek for example,

'Charlene Lamb, deputy assistant secretary of state for international programs in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, said a security agent activated a danger-notification system as the attack began shortly before 10 p.m. local time on Sept. 11.

“From that point on, I could follow what was happening in almost real time,” Lamb said in written testimony prepared for a hearing today by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which has been investigating the attack and whether security was adequate.'

October 15, 2012 at 4:30 pm |

n222s

Oh and Rick, I just googled house oversight charlene lamb and the testimony says she watched in ALMOST REAL-TIME – implying a slight feed delay to me.

October 15, 2012 at 4:34 pm |

Ricky L

Read the testimony again, n222s.....Ms Lamb never says she was watching a video.....she says "I could follow what was happening in almost real time"

As usual, the right-wing hears what they want to hear.

The video was recovered by the FBI 0n Oct 4....the State Department made a press announcement on Oct 9 after watching the video.

October 15, 2012 at 5:23 pm |

DJones

I sincerely doubt that Obama was lied to by the State Dept. It is far more likely that Obama didn't think that acknowledging a terrorist attack on an embassy that his administration had denied security to would play well and the weasel thought he could blame it on the video. Then when the truth comes out he and biden concoct the line, we didn't know anything about any of it. Do they really expect us to believe that an attack of this magnitude could happen with the person right under Hillary Clinton knowing full well it was terrorists who did it, and that almost a week later the White House still didn't know what was going on when the sent Susan Rice out to tell us it was a riot? If they didn't know then they are completely incompetent.

6 press conferences....6 references to a video...ZERO references to what is ACTUALLY WAS...a TERRORIST ATTACK. Yet when anyone even SUGGESTS accountability, Liberals try to MINIMIZE it. The U.N. has already CONFIRMED Iran is FOUR TIMES more capable now than in 2008....Iran has stated they will "wipe Israel off the face of the planet"...and Biden claims they "were not asked to increase security" (FACT: the STATE DEPT. TESTIFIED that they DID request increases seven times in 12 months).

Security question are a must , if you travel the only place you may feel secure is at the embassies and/or the consulates , if they are not protected who do you blame? Hell the administration who only care is about sports and a bunch of movie satrs trash, campaigning and sending lies all over..

Vote for either of these two supposed leaders and then you will have a excuse to be a disgruntled dissident! They aren't leading this Country anywhere, our annual GDP should be around 80 trillion annually, if any of these fools had a clue. Don't say anything too politically mis-aligned with their propaganda or you will most probably make their list of a possible terrorist threats and all the shenanigans that could entail. And since this is just the basics, I could only ponder that what you would call a conspiracy is really just business as usual. BTW it is that ridiculous.

Do you prefer burnt cork or greasepaint when you perform in blackface?

October 15, 2012 at 4:21 pm |

BigDrop

Are you kidding? This administration is going to let Iran get the bomb. And when that happens, Egypt and Libya will just be nothijng more than footnotes compared to the trouble they are going to make. Like blocking the start and then daring anyone to stop them or they will flatten Israel. And when that takes place, oil prices will double, almost overnight.

The Clinton’s are clearly on a divergent path than President Obama. Hillary just Judo’d Obama in this informative article posted in the UK Daily Mail.

In this report Secretary Clinton separates U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice from her State Department, and instead says that Rice was selling the message, and following orders, from the White House, not from the State Department. President Obama made Susan Rice (UN Ambassador) a cabinet level position – not part of State Dept.

Hillary goes on to say that THEY (State Department) NEVER felt it was a video movie that caused the Benghazi attack:

Romney is a threat to national security. He made comments that riled up Iran and stirred up a hornets nest in the Muslim world. He started a personal war with Palestine. he attacked Russia and China, and insulted London, Spain, Greece and Italy. Romney is the most divisive candidate ever to run for office.

At least in living memory Hmm. I'll bet that Jimmy Carter is hitting his knees every night praying that B. Hussein Obozo looses on National Flush The Toilet Day. That way Jimmy will no longer be known as "The Worst Single Term President"🙂

October 15, 2012 at 3:19 pm |

Todd

This, Bettyuann's comment, is a paid political announcement by the B. Hussein Maobama re-election committee.

The Libya issue is a very important issue. Four American lives were lost and no should stop searching for the truth regarding these deaths.
Obama's staff is all over the place with this issue. Ambassdor Rice goes on shows saying it was a video...Stephanie Cutter says that this would not be an issue if it were not an election year and the Romney camp is making too much of the Libya attack. (Really?).
The other staff members are accusing everyone except the ones that really are at fault.
Lets' give Obama a small pass for now... although he was aware of what was happening and went to bed while the Ambassador was being killed and then to Las Vegas to campaign.. Having said that, Secretary Clinton had to be aware of the situation brewing and that on 9/11 security especially on that side of the world should had be hightened.
Where does it stop? When will there be someone with courage and conviction to stand up and take responsibility for four dead Americans?
We don't want to call it a "terroist attack" because it will hurt Obama..and worse the media is not saying a word about all this... no newspaper, talk show, news... no one. It is shameful behavior for the administration and media.... Have you no shame at all?

As I was saying. Does anyone really beleive security staffing decisions for this satellite office in Bengazi are made directly by the president or secretary of state?? There are hundreds of offices like this around the middle east and the world. The Middle East is a VERY dangerous place, hey the world is very dangerous place. Think New York on 9/11[G Bush] or Lebanon when our barrack got blow away and hundred of soldiers were killed or injured during the Reagan era, or the USS Cole, and myriad other international tragedies. The bigger question is are we safe in the US today, and is the world safer today than 4 years ago. Anwser to both is yes

It's really sad the way the Romney campaign are helping tear down American Foriegn services in their hunt to discredit the President.
And helping to emboldened U.S. enemies. They are doing our enemies work for them what do terriorist organizations enjoy more than anything else?

Free publicity. The Romney campaign in playing politics with the issue. Are giving our enemies plenty of free airtime indirectly. We have professionals for this type of investigative work and many resources to draw from.

Like it or not the American people do not need realtime investigative data spread over the airwaves and the internet
that can easily tip our hand to our various enemies.

A need to know? Know he tried to cover this all up with a UTube videa. Also why? The leader of Lybia came out and told us it was an attack, the people of Lybia that carried Stevens to the hospital new it was an attack and put it on Utube, probably becasue they know our own President would hide the truth from us. Obama is a pathetic leader, just look at his promises about Afghanistan.

The only remaining question is how did the Obama administration allow the embassy attacks to occur given specific credible information that a threat existed. The rest is completely and wholly irrelevant.

A reasonable question is "did" did the Obama administration allow the embassy attacks to occur? Is there something it could have done to deter the attack or is this simply one of the costs of doing business in a dangerous part of the world?

Remember, the State Department has already stated that the additional security would not have been able to successfully defend the consulate given the size of the attacking group.

How....as in how did they not take add'l measures. Do you honestly think State is giving an honest and accurate representation as to what proper security could or couldn't handle? Not to mention the fact that add'l security would have at the very least have likely had a deterrent effect. You're lost. Get a clue.

October 15, 2012 at 2:23 pm |

Hmm...

Really? Yes we were vulnerable but why did Obam, Clinton, Rice and now Biden lie to us????

October 15, 2012 at 2:40 pm |

Ricky L

What I believe is that, as usual, you jump to conclusions that suit your partisan agenda. You know nothing about what what Obama was aware of or not about the security situation in Benghazi.

Act like a reasonable adult and wait for the Issa investigation to uncover some facts before you make your charges.

I would reply to this entire comment but I couldn't understand half of it. Someone needs to take some night classes on english. 2nd Obama being black has nothing to do with his critics. His inability to lead this country, his broken promises and his weak foreign policy is what draws critisism. Instead of looking at the color of his skin for keeping him in office. Try looking at his policy's and lack of contributions to this country. Your blind "color vote" is in part the reason why we are in this mess today. He was never ready for the whitehouse and now we are in a bigger hole then we were in 08

Why is the embassy attack under reported on CNN. Imagine the coverage of the same story under Bush. Where is the headline "Obama lied after people died" or "some say Obama risks impeachment over Libya Gate". Why doesn't CNN find out who told Rice to go the the media with the Video/Riot story 4 days after the attack. She did not take this action on her own. Why is there no interview of Rice?

fbi??? 3 weeks into it and they had not been to benghazi. The crime scene had been tainted. Any other bright ideas?

October 15, 2012 at 2:40 pm |

Hmm...

Let the FBI do their job???? After being lied to since day one of this tragedy by the Obama administration how can we trust anything that comes out of an investigation, like Fast & Furious. After the election Obama will throw the Executive Privelege to hide what he really know and when.

October 15, 2012 at 2:43 pm |

stan

"It seems to me that you should take a look at his most important responsibility. That's caring for the national security of the country" well then expalin to the American people why the Pres misses nearly 60% of his security briefings?

Hindsight is always 20/20 when it comes to things like the attack in Libya. On one side of the coin, had it been just another day in Benghazi, the security measures in place would have likely been fit to protect Ambassador Stevens. On the flip side, there is no guarantee that if they would have beefed up security we wouldn't be talking about even more American lives lost in the attack.

What has me mad is that it has been known for more than a month that it was an attack by an Al-Qaeda affiliated group and I haven't heard one word of acknowledgement from our President's own mouth. To me it shows a severe lack of leadership that he seems to have gone into hiding on this issue rather than put his big boy pants on and shoot straight with the American people.

The ambassador was worried about security as he wrote in a journal which was found by a crew from CNN...so it is quiet possible that the ambassador passed on those concerns...and IF he did then someone screwed up big time...And as Harry S. Truman said "The buck stops here"

The Obama administration thrived on lies after lies. Bengazi fiasco is a very clear example of how the Obama administration lie to the American people and how it negligently handle security issues. 4 diplomats dead and they couldn't tell the truth why it happened. Instead, brewed lies to fool the Americans. There wasn't even protest at the Bengazi consulate. All the while they kept saying it was a spontaneous reaction to a video in youtube. LIAAARS

Fuel prices on all time high. It's exactly the opposite of what Obama said in his 2008 campaign that America will have cheaper fuel. Instead of harnessing America's rich fossil fuel and coal resources, he put a halt on it and shove his green energy initiatives to favor the very people who helped him in his campaign. $90 Billion from the government awarded to his cronies. Did it solve the energy crisis – on the contrary, it's worse than 2008. And Billions of dollars of taxpayers money gone. Popped like a bubble. He lied all along. EPA is another agency with Obama's appointee who spread lies after lies to discredit fossil fuel – destroying the energy industry in America. That's how the Obama administration destroy jobs, help foreign oil companies and crush the US economy. A movie against hydraulic fracking will be shown to scare the American people that fossil fuel exploration destroy the environment. Who produce the movie? The Oil-Rich Arab nation who widely use hydraulic fracking and major oil suppliers of US. The EPA, the green initiative groups, the democrats are all in the same boat. Poor America, we'll never get out of the hole if we keep ignoring Obama's lies.

Hopefully the republicans will provide some actual clarity with their foreign policy, as to domestic issues, healthcare, education, employment, regulations as the pertain to the financial markets. As for the democrats their policies any new anouncements or changes they would make to help even more people return to work, and hopefully annoucing a new direction for the education systen, so the kids coming out of high school and college will be able to move right into well paying jobs and careers. These next four years will determine the path for American leadership for the next 20 or 30 years. America is under attack right now from foreign investment, to other economies out performing American industries. There has already been more than a few accomplishments under the president but a lot still has to be done.

...and still continues with obama who promised change. This president has been the least transparent and the most partisan president we've ever seen. With his policies at home and abroad failing, it is no wonder his campaign is all negative. He has resorted to the very things he promised to fight against.... and now that his policies are failing he has demonstrated the very things he warned against. How anyone can continue to want to give him four more years is beyond any sane person's comprehension. He cant change washington from within??? didnt he campaign four years ago saying he needed to get in in order to procure change? All this tells me s that now that he's in, he has realized that he is in way over his head and he cant swim from within. Its just silly. He appoints without allowing congress to vet his appointees... puts out edicts.without lawmakers, does not pass budgets yet spends more than all other presidents in history combined. Its beyond silly.. I can understand devote democrats who vote democrat with their eyes closed regardless of anything else but for the rest of us... really.... We need experience back in the white house.

October 15, 2012 at 1:21 pm |

Guy

Ok Politicians always dance around questions and answer in grey areas I belleve that Obama and Biden didnt know of the request for additional security troops requested to the State Dept.... But the question the President really needs to answer is " Since he is so involved in his re-election campaign and not attending daily secrurity briefings Was there anything in his intelligence breifing report that he reads on a daily basis that indicated a possible threat on the embassy/.compound in Benghazi?" Thats a whole different question as to whether he was aware of additional secuity requests to the State Dept. And Who specifically does he get intelligence reports on a daily basis ... No one has asked these questions

The FBI and DEA fabricate evidence, steal from suspects and use murder to close those bad cases.

How is it that 12 of the 9/11 terrorists could live for 2 weeks just 2 miles from NSA head quarters in Maryland.This after they had taken flight simulator lessons on Jumbo jet trainers and several of them where on State department terror watch lists.

If FBI and DEA employees where more concerned with doing their jobs than enriching themselves by stealing from suspects and taking bribes, then there might have been a chance that 9/11 had never happened.

A few corrupt DOJ employees are partially responsible for the death of the thousands of people of the 9/11 attack and the following wars that have killed thousands of military personnel.

If memmory serves me correctly Issa indicated at the hearings that more democrats voted for the cut backs then did replubicans Either way its a tragedy,,,, 4 people are dead and 30 days later the mother of the slain tech suppport person that was killed still didnt know of any details of how her onoly son died How Sad for her Many mothers who viewed her remarks on CNN had to be abhored by the lack of sensitivity shown her by the President and the State Department ... personally I think that the president didnt want to hone up to El Quedia connnections invloved because he and Biden were touting throughout America that GM is Alive and Ben Laden is dead and El Quedia is on the run . Something is rotten in Demark this smells

You make lots of sense. I just think that an organization like CNN who virtually hid this story for so long should be ashamed and embarrassed at their lack of interest in this story until the last few days. Oh boy I can imagine how quick they would have been to jump on this story had it been G Bush. Wolf would have been a raving lunatic by now. I had a lot of respect for AC before this. He may be questioning it now but it has been a month already. We really could use some unbiased reporting during times like this.

October 15, 2012 at 2:37 pm |

B

The choice is very clear to most now, it is about the truth and fabrications.

Romney has not been truthful about anything yet and Ryan is all about outright lies right to your face.

So here is the deal...Obama slept comfortably the night of the attack. He was not even woken up! The next day he is off to Vegas for a campaign event instead of doing his job of meeting face to face with the appropiate people to plan the next steps. Basically he was MIA that first 24 hours. In order to not look so bad they spun the Video story until it started to fall apart. Now they are throwing everyone under the bus to cover their own behind.

Some people just can't believe their President would do this but this one did!

I got my free obamaphone and all my homies do too! I don't pay a cent and get all these killer gov't handouts! I will never have to work for a living again (even though I am perfectly capable of working) all thanks to Obama! Unless Romney comes in office and creates jobs and makes me have to work. So vote Obama!!! I would vote, but I'm a convicted felon with 8 kids. So I need these handouts America! I'm counting on you. Holla!

Note the program has swelled since Obama took office, from $772 million in 2008 to currently $1.6 billion.

October 15, 2012 at 12:43 pm |

midwstrngrl

a part of those bailouts that fell on Obama were enacted while Bush was in office. We also added the wars to the budgets for the first time. During the DW years they were paid for by emergency appropriations (aka debt)

October 15, 2012 at 1:00 pm |

Yeppers12

AND this is completely funded by the tax payer.

October 15, 2012 at 1:00 pm |

sam nissin

If obama was CEO of a company, the shareholders would have fired him after 4 years of not being able to turn the company around

Obama is not a CEO and American is not a company. You see, unlike in business there is a personal factor that has to be addressed, A human side. A side where you can’t put a price on a person or an outcome. There is a clear line between what is right and what is wrong opposed to what is cost effective. In a corporation you can fire or lay off people and your are done with them. In America if you forget, fire or layoff an entire class of people you are not done with them. That is the one thing business types such as yourself have lost. Respect for the human side of things. All you see if $$$ and you have forgotten what is right and what is wrong. In business a decision may be finically the right thing to do. But when you look at the human factor in real life could be heartless and immoral. Government is not a business and it is moronic to think it could be operated as one. How could you put the salaries of a board over, say 100 people getting a surgery that may save their lives.

Folks. Libya was a result of hope and change strategy then Chicago style blame others if it goes bad. Being a Chicago captive, it is the norm. Myr. Daily was surrounded by layers of personnel called cannon fodder that went to prison to protect the king. OB is now blaming Hillary. What Axelrod wants us to swallow is that the pres was so disconnected from his Intel briefs to know Libya had recent attacks to the British, the Red Cross and others that left because it was too dangerous. The king has no clothing. I find it more amazing that the admin would rather promote the "we did not know" strategy. GWB was blamed relentlessly over 911 lead up Intel. "What did he know and when" was the narrative. Poor Hillary...she will become the new Obama scapegoat and be thrown under the bus, while Bill is out campaigning.

This darn administration has blamed every one left, right and center except themselves for any mess that is going on today with America. Folks, Obama and his administration must learn to take blame for 4 years of failure. when you point 1 fingure towards other there are 3 pointing to yourself too... Obama is clueless! worst President ever. Romney/Ryan – 2012.

October 15, 2012 at 12:41 pm |

midwstrngrl

what is this Chicago crap. Rush must have said it for all you repeat the same "dumb as s" sh i t over and over. tar d.

October 15, 2012 at 12:57 pm |

Rogue351

Yep and how many tea party republicans voted down the needed money that would allow the government to have added this extra security ?

Any death of U.S. personnel abroad is tragic and if possible, should be avoided. But, the crocidile tears and feigned concern of Fox ( following their script d jour ) and the RNC, is absurd. Reagan "lost" 200+ marines in 1 suicidal bombing in Lebanon, and the "pulled tail" further emboldening the terroists. Bush and Condi refused to give credibility or concern to intelligence rweports about terrorists flying airplanes into buildings and "lost" on their watch 3000+ in one day on U.S. soil. During the "flower strewn" picnic in Iraq, we lost an average of more than 4+ soldiers every day often due to improper planning, inadequate protection/equpment and electrified showers provided by "well connected" contractors more concerned about profits than protecting our service personnel. Where oh where was the outrage of these now "bleating hearts"?

Well said ...... As an independent the problem I had with Obama was his lack of immediate response to the nation ..... I think he was in the SPIN ROOM too long ..... The continued stance of the attack being a result of the video was to me .... "shooting first and aiming second" ... If they weren't sure of the facts shouldnt have sent Rice to every TV station on Sunday stating such,until they were sure . At this time it appears to be..... Intelligence reports indicate.... rather thens saying the fact is We just dont know which was the case

Regarding the Benghazi attack, the talking heads have missed the very real danger of Mr. Romney strutting out with all of his American power bluster. The real facts on the ground is that Americans overseas are vulnerable to the security strength of the hosting country. The mission of our consulates and embassies is to facilitate safe travel and business dealings for our American citizens. There is a US government presence in Benghazi because we have American civilians that are conducting business in Benghazi. I think it is more wise for UN Ambassador Rice to blatantly lie and claim that the uprising in Benghazi was initially a response to a nebulus video, that was taken over by extremists if it will give the State Department time to account for the safety of all Americans abroad.

That doesn't make any sense at all....Romney, like the majority of Americans, recognized that an attack in Libya with automatic weapons and mortars is not the result of a 'protest about a video'. Why did Obama, Clinton and Rice insist on lying about it for two weeks?

Romney just called the President and his Administration's bluff, which is absolutely the right thing to do.

What was the ambassador doing in Benghazi on 9/11 anyway? He probably should have been in the embassy in Tripoli. As the 'local state department expert' he should have been the one to be most fully aware of the dangers. As for whether it was a terrorist attack of a protest, didn't the news announce right from the start that it was a terrorist attack using a protest as 'human shields' so it was a little of both???

Daddy got like you towards the end, and we had to put him in the home. Ironically, he got a black, gay male nurse assigned to him. He'd gone blind by then, so he actually grew to like the guy. We didn't have the heart to tell him the truth.

To all of you screaming about R&R politicizing the events in Libya. Do you not want the truth of what and how things went down that horrible day? I would bet if there was a Repub in the White House you would be scream

Either way – at minimum it points to an epic failure on the part of Hillary Clinton and the State Department for not responding to requests for extra security or even recognizing that Bengazi was a high risk environment. That will finish her for 2016. Where has Secretary Clinton been lately? Hiding?

Worst case scenario is that the Obama administration misled Congress and the American people intentionally. This was NEVER about a video protest, and the automatic weapons and mortars shown on the news that day told us all this was a terrorist attack....strange that the administration wouldn't conclude that as well. Maybe because of the election?

Either way, shining the light on this foreign policy failure is the absolute right thing to do. We are about to elect a president, so if the one who's in the White House now is incapable of foreign policy or handling terrorist attacks, he needs to be replaced!

Perhaps you could explain why, if Republicans care so much about the security of our foreign offices, why they voted twice in the last 2 years to cut funding for their security measures by more than 1/2 billion dollars. Field offices can request extra security all day long, but if there's no money to finance that security, where does a share of the blame belong?

October 15, 2012 at 11:36 am |

James PDX

I agree. Obama does need to be replaced. Too bad the best that the GOP could come up with is someone even worse than Obama. And too bad the average American voter is too stupid to realize we have more than just these 2 awful choices.

October 15, 2012 at 11:38 am |

YouDemsAreCrazy

JohnRJohnson – the amount was $300 Million, which did not get cut anyway. It went to the Senate, and the two parties working together ended up leaving $264 Million of that spending intact. That is the way Government is supposed to work, and both parties agreed on the resulting $36 Million cut.

October 15, 2012 at 11:41 am |

bkerr

II'll tell you what I want. I want the truth about Tower 7 falling in its own footprint. I want the truth from the Republican led party that totally blew every single piece of evidence out the window to this. Then Halliburton gets a no-bid contract for the "clean" up in Afgan and Iraq, (cough) Rumsfeld/Cheney. (take head...pull out of rear end)

Amazing how much TRUTH you're seeking now that we have a Democrat in the white house. Of course we need to know exactly what happened in Benghazi just like we needed the truth about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. I'm still waiting....

I know that he doesn't like to do this even though his supporters do, but President Obama must talk about himself more and about OBL AND every other AQ leader who is no longer there. And he must bring up Romney's international fiasco when he visited the UK and Poland, considered to be "easy trips" diplomatically.

I think that these 2 nut bags need to stay out of anything to do with foriegn policy. They are not in charge of their own thinking (etch-a-sketch and all) to be in any of this. They have politizied our foriegn policy way to much and need to stay out of it!

Obama chose to blame it on a YouTube video.
Obama chastised an American over his first amemdment rights for making the video.
Obama apologized to Muslim extremists on behalf of America for the video on numerous occasions.
Obama went in front of the United Nations and delivered the same message about the video.

It was never about a video. There was no protest in Libya, just a terrorist attack that was clear to average Americans who saw the news and the automatic weapons and mortars....

Obama portrayed our country as weak, lied to us, and tried to cover up the facts – all in the interest of getting re-elected. How does that make you feel?

Please note, that the maker of the film was on Probation/Parole and was not allowed to be using a computer for uploading his video. No matter if someone else uploaded it or not. So, when it comes to this matter, he does not have the right to do this. He was a criminal from the start and still did criminal means to get this video uploaded.

October 15, 2012 at 12:03 pm |

Blah blah the wheel's off your trailer

No, you meant GWB and the GOP. Have you seen the WMDs? Have you seen the World Trade Center Towers lately? Remember how many Americans died on our homeland on 9/11 or how many American lives were wasted in Iraq or continue to be wasted in an Afghan war GWB and the GOP deliberately and recklessly abandoned and prolonged to invade Iraq? No, its GWB and the GOP who weakened our country and made us the laughing stock of the world. Then the coward went into hiding when al Qaeda attack our homeland. No, I won't forget because I live and work just a few miles from ground zero.

October 15, 2012 at 12:49 pm |

Mojave

I am troubled by the lies and deception by the Obama administration. Everything from leaking classified Intel on the attempted plane bombing, Fast and Furious fiasco, to blaming the Republicans for a lack of security funding for the Embassy in Benghazi. Only a moron would place Marines in Vienna and not in Benghazi.The State Department is spending money on Chevy Volts and not on Security.

October 15, 2012 at 12:53 pm |

Blah blah the wheel's off your trailer

@Mojave

Say whatever you want about the Obama administartion because since the President has been in office, our mainland has not been attacked and so far, I don't see us involved in any major war, let alone a war on two fronts and so far, no sky scrapers in the U.S. has collapsed under this administration and plus the economic crisis the President inherited has been stabilized. And who knows, perhaps if our President keep look hard, we might even find the WMDs. And by the way, Fast and Furious was atarted by GWB jusr like he started tw two wars and the economic crisis.

October 15, 2012 at 1:46 pm |

obama foreign policy stinks...and it is blowing up as we speak

honestly...muslim outreach? remember he told charles bolden, the head of NASA to make muslim outright the space agencies number one priority? I remember and

Sorry....as I was saying, I REMEMBER just how pathetic I thought it was...NASA CEO was asked to make "MUSLIM OUTREACH" its number 1 priority? insane...i mean really, what is going on with this president?????

remember the whole RUSSIAN RESET? another cheap theatrical PR stunt which is a complete failure.

throwing allies under the bus to appease muslims? a joke...shameful actually.

Romney says trust me with your life and future and trust me with your family's lives and future and vote for me. Too bad he don't trust us to see whats in his tax returns. And too bad he feels the way he does about 47% of us.

Same can be said of Obama? Really? 5.2 million private sector jobs created, 2.1 million public sector jobs saved. Our auto industry rescued, financial crisis stabilized, unemployment rate down to 7.8% despite the deliberate obstructionist measures by the GOT, healthcare made available for all Americans, Wall Street reformed to safeguard against another economic meltdown, the middle class strenghtened, the housing industry stabilized, Osama Bin Laden and hundreds of al Qaeda operatives removed, our national security improved as a result and no major terrorist attacks on our soil since 9/11. And for four years our President has been an advocate and a champion for all Americans. NO, the same cannot be said of our President.

Obama/Biden 2012 by a LANDSLIDE!

October 15, 2012 at 11:00 am |

Blah blah the wheel's off your trailer

And the illegitimate Iraqi war ended as promised.

October 15, 2012 at 12:43 pm |

John Kaufman, Oceanside, CA

Oh, and you trust Obama? I trust neither one of these candidates. Obama's failure in Afghanistan is pathetic. We have spent over 700 billion there from his office since he continues his war effort there. This country is going back to Islamic rule after we leave and they know exactly when that is. We have lost from the Bush era 700 of our trrops kiled, to now, over 2000 and still counting, yet you and the press dismiss this fact. Obama has printed over $4 trillion in bogus money, no backing, and then borrowed from it for bail outs and pay offs. You call that sensible? Ryan said in his debate, we need to finish the job in Afghanistan, forget it, this war is and was a losing cause. It was suppose to stop terroism, and it has not. America needs to get tough with terrorism with a clear set rules of engagement regarding terrorism, we have none now! Extremist Islams and Muslims are terrorists, and we can't even name it for what they are, especially our President, why?

Why don't you and your family go over there and show them how democracy is done. See if you can turn centuries old politics to the way you want it. Oh, that's right, let someone else's kids go over there and get killed, for what again? Speak to me when you have kids killed over there and can "justify" any means their death provided for us as a nation. Because other then getting rid of supposed binLaden, they failed at it and will continue to fail. You can't "iron" fist your rule of thought to some other countries ways. Think 1776.

October 15, 2012 at 12:10 pm |

pam

I'm very close to several people that work in the intel community, and they are pretty upset that Biden blamed them for the problems in Libya.

Every bit of military equipment that is sold to foreign nations that receive "foreign military aid" from the taxpayers of the U.S. should have a humongous special tax on the profits of those sales the proceeds, which will go directly into the V.A. system to help our veterans.

The V.A. constantly struggles. In fact, benefits for vets were reduced in the eighties by Reagan to save the V.A., just like they are reducing Social Security. They did not cut benefits starting with vets who came into the service at that time – they reduced benefits for all vets. Vets who were honorably discharged or retired, who did their service for a fraction of the earnings of normal jobs, had their benefits reduced.

We give billions and billioins of taxpayer dollars – money that is supposed to be for Ameican citizens – to foreign countries for military aid so they can buy tanks, guns, missels, jets, and other weapons from our manufacturers, who then profit big time.

So, we are in essence giving money to weapons companies in the form of huge profits.

And, how do you use up inventories of weapons? Have a war.

Since the top five recipients of foreign military aid are Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, and Israel, I believe a special tax on the profits of weapon sales would help prevent the reductions and cuts to our vets.

Not only that, but, a special tax on them would make it clear that if you want to profit by selling weapons to other nations which are paid for with taxpayer dollars, we will get our dollars back with a huge tax on your profits.

Boy I can smell the conservative fear on these blogs. Just the way they attack the moderator and Obama is proof of that. They know Obama's policies have done well the past 3 years. Libya? Really. Only clueless id1ots who don't have an education would bring that one up. Time for the conservative trolls to go buh bye when the President wins this next debate.

Sorry but it would be up to the current so called president to help the NYC police beef up security around those areas. BTW GWB is not the current president so this is all on Oblamo. When are you libbys going to wake up and realize that Dear Leader is sticking his head up his coolo and wants this all to go away!

October 15, 2012 at 9:59 am |

Blah blah the wheel's off your trailer

Yes, the current President has beefed up security in NYC and around the country but too bad GWB and the GOP didn't. And too bad the current President's time had to be wasted on two wars GWB and the GOP left finished and too bad his time had to be consumed on fixing an economic crisis they created and warding off deliberate obstructionist tactics by the GOT.

October 15, 2012 at 10:06 am |

pvmaddog

Well put. Bengazi was 5 weeks ago and is still Fox News headlines. GWB's intelligence community missed 9/11 and WMD's in Iraq, and Bush got elected. Can we let this go already?

October 15, 2012 at 10:43 am |

Milton Platt

We are a nation of consumers....those malls are really important to us...

Watching Obama defend his apologize and appease foreign policy will be a real blast. Refusing to send extra protection for the Consulate, blaming the attacks on some movie trailer that came out in June instead of Al Qaeda, then blaming Romney...the Obama folks are blaming everybody but the disaster of a foreign policy. And the Media, with the exception of Fox and CBS, are ignoring the death of the 4 Americans and the destruction of the embassy.

That's what Fox "news" would like you to think. But they refuse to point out that the request for more security was for all of Libya, not just Benghazi. The capital of Libya is Tripoli so it's not unlikely most extra security would be sent there anyways. In fact, Benghazi was determined to be "at or near" the appriopriate level of security. But hindsight is always 20/20, especially when politics are at play.

This isn't about Fox News. The Libyan Free Press reported the facts. There is no defense of the atrocious response to four men serving our county being murdered – and the Ambassador was reported to have been tortured and dragged through the streets. There's probably more we don't even know yet – but it will be exposed. And where was the help the Ambassador was requesting? Get off of Fox news – the blood is on this administration's hands.

October 15, 2012 at 11:53 am |

Phil

The problem for the President is that facts and truth is his kryponite. He can't be in the same room when someone is presenting that to him. He becomes weak, dizzy and starts saying more things that are not true.

Facts and truth are the kryptonite of all of our politicians. Too bad we have become so divided along party lines that we can no longer recognize either fact or truth well enough to wield it to our advantage.

According to one of the most experienced pollsters in the United states:

"This puts Barack Obama at 201 "safe" Electoral College votes with six "lean" states (74 EC votes), and Mitt Romney at 156 "safe" EC votes with four "lean" states (35 EC votes). There are five states (72 EC votes) virtually tied."

In other words, even after the 'bump' from the first debate, it would take a minor miracle for Romney to win.

Immediately after the Benghazi attacks, Romney accused President Obama of sympathizing with the attackers. During the remaining debates I hope the President Obama ask Romney to explain whe, where and how did he sympathized with the enemies. Secondly, for the past two years the GOP have accused the President of apologizing to the enemy after the President spoke to Mr. Karzi and tried to defuse tensions after our marines burnt Qurans and urinated on Afghan corpses. However, during these debates, I hope the President should ask Romney what would he have done differently to defuse tensions in Afghanistan and safeguard our troops and not undermine the decade long mission after Karzi spoke out against our hidious actions.

And by the way, during the Vice Presidential debate, Ms. Raddaatz spoke about Romney's book called "No Apologies" and then she asked the Paul Ryan should the U.S. have apologized for Americans burning Qurans and urinating on Afghan soldiers. Ryan's response was "Oh gosh, yes. Urinating on Taliban corpses?" then he said what we should not be apologizing for are standing up for our values." Then with that being said, President Obama needs to ask Romney is what way, form or fashion he has not stood up for our values??? And by the way, Ryan failed to answer the question about burning the Quran. Appalling!

We should apologize for the marines' behavior since they are our representatives. We should not apologize for private citizens burning the quran since that is their right. Do you see any other countries apologizing to us for burning everything related to our country and culture?

If you want to get an honest answer about who is going to do better with foreign affair, then you need to ask the leaders of our ally nations, ask those leaders if the present administration has back leaders of other countries that are open to getting along or set on destroying some of our allies? If you like the leaders of the countries that don't care for the U.S. and are happy with the amount of money that is spent on bribing them, they you have your type of ruler in place at this time. If not then you know that Obama is not the one that will be there for all of us.

It would be great if Candy Crowley isn't a complete liberal hack moderator like the last ditz. I would like to know if she might call B.S. on the candidates who are clearly misleading because they know the viewing audience is huge for the debate and tiny for those who will hear the true answer or the correction the next day.

Ah tea bagger logic. The last moderator was a sensible, skilled moderate who called both candidates to the question, and did her best to compel answers. Ryan bore more heat because he routinely ignored answers, pivoting to prepared remarks instead.

But she made Ryan look bad, so in tea bagger land, that instantly makes he a left-wing lib hack.

The "moderator" was the third debater. She interrupted Ryan almost as much as bobblehead Biden and did it as he was making a strong point in rebutting Biden's lies.

October 15, 2012 at 9:34 am |

really

When Obama goes home a one term president, he can comfort himself in knowing his failures were not his alone. Lots of people have dumb ideas and poor execution. Others helped him fail. He didn't build this train wreck of a presidency.

1. You might want to ask Barry why he decided to become a Socialist? 2. Why he chose not to work with Republicans. 3. Why 1 in 6 Americans are in poverty under his leadership. 4. Why he let our Ambassador get sodomized and killed in Benghazi..and why he and his admin lied and tried to cover it up. 5. Why he doesn't have any plan for creating jobs.

First off, your possible definition of socialism and the actual definition of socialism are two different things. Secondly, you may want to ask the job creators why they haven't created jobs here on American soil while they were enjoying enormous tax breaks and were almost totally unregulated for 8 years. Thirdly, where did you get this misinformation that the Ambassador in Benghazi was sodomized? Also, the administration was going by the intel that they were given from a chaotic situation in a chaotic place in the first few days after the attack. There was no cover up. They were just going on what they had at that time. And fourthly, he does have a plan to create jobs, but your Republican friends in the House of Representatives keeps blocking by tying those bills to repealing the Affordable Health Care Act.

October 15, 2012 at 10:14 am |

Paladin Knight

Also, this debate is focusing on foreign policy, not domestic policy.

October 15, 2012 at 10:34 am |

James PDX

Fourleaf Tayback, please explain to me how you would work with a group of people who have publically stated that they will do everything in their power, including break their oaths of public office to the American people, just to ensure your presidency fails? Hmm...?

October 15, 2012 at 11:31 am |

Blah blah the wheel's off your trailer

Here's another advise for President Obama for the upcoming foreign policy debates...

We all know that Romney is going to continue to try to score political points by politicizing the Libyan consulate tragedy. Then when he does, President Obama needs to remind Romney that during the 1984 Presidential debates between Ronald Reagan and challenger Walter Mondale, NEVER once did Mondale try to score political points by bringing up the 1983 Beirut bombing where 283 Americans died. And during the 2004 Presidential debates, the challenger Al Gore NEVER once mentioned the 9/11 attacks on our homeland or the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to score political points.

If I have any advise for President Obama for the remaining two debates, here's what's goanna seal it for the President. Hey, its very simple. When it comes to domestic and foreign policy issues, all the President has to do is to ask Romney WHAT would you have done differently. For example, for four years now, the GOP has accused the President of reckless and wasteful spending and of inflating the national deficit because of passage of two stimulus packages to stabilize and grow the economy. Then during the same period, they've accused the President of not doing anything to help the American people. So how could you on one hand, condemn the very stimulus packages that are geared towrads stabilizing and growing the economy and and providing millions of unemployed Americans with extension of emergency unemployment benefits to keep a roof over their love ones' heads and food on the table while they look for work and then on the other hand, say that the President has done nothing to stabilize and grow the economy and help the American people? That is HYPOCRISY! Let's face it, you can't have your cake and eat it.

And when it comes to foreign policy, the Presidnet should ask Romney what he would have done differently in Libya, Syria, Iran and Afghanistan. So far, the only answer Paul Ryan gave during his debate was to point out what the Obama administration didn't do or to specific, he said the Obama administration waited too long to condemn the Assad regime and waited too long to impose sanctions on Iran. When it comes to Libya, Romney continue to use a tragedy to score political points, that coming from a presidential candidate who said its not worth moving heaven and earth to find Bin Laden. Then when it comes to the Afghan war, although he said he agrees with the 2014 deadline for withdrawal, his running mate says that withdrawal depends on conditions on the ground. Perhaps Romney would consider enlisting his healthy boys for a tour of duty.

If Israel is such a great country, why do they fall billions short of their needs which we then feel obligated to pick up the tab for? If they are truly God's chosen people, who doesn't God send them billions of dollars each year?

All the polls have been fudged and their kingmaker Crowley thinks her debate will be our final decision for everyone come November, I wonder has CNN gotten all that big time money out of the Republicans sympathizers this past 25 hour? Counting that Crossroads cash? !

Or is the Security debate going to get livelier from an October Surprise no-one knows about here in the general public, and since you people in Atlanta seem to have done enough damage to our Libyan interests to last us awhile, I imagine it can only get worse then. Where did the decency and respect go, Georgia.

But who best to explain this 'unanswered' to the UN's answer, than you guys, right? I got an unanswered question for you.

Anyone else you would like to see fired only for doing a really fine job, like Ambassador Rice did?!

Speaking of the out-of-control boss...seems like those Koch brothers like their political dossier kept on every one of their employees, and who gave them that information? They must REALLY have a hard time finding good talent for a job opportunity. Misery loves company, it's a common saying in the government I hear. Something about lifers...

Romney wants this escalation, but when did it ever become a workable solution long enough to even be his decision for just one Executive? Things are different now, this is 2012. There's no decision to be made, because NOTHING can be workable after what's happened. Unless you just push the red button or something, and then what?! The Chinese sell their goods to Europe or Africa instead? Sounds like a miserable short sighted approach from another Republican who never could get Dad's approval. Mitt Romney sitting on papa's throne,...with Candy ready to put him there, probably just because she thinks she could do it.

You do realize that thousands of American companies outsorce at least part of production, assembly, or raw material production to other countries right? The list includes GM,google,Microsoft,GE,APPLE. So if you are going to criticize one, do some research and criticize them all.

October 15, 2012 at 8:56 am |

Get out

Foreign policy. = how much money are we going to urinate into the sea.

US Taxpayers pay for 46% of all military expenses utilized on the entire planet earth!!!!

Do you really want to know how ineffective Obama's foreign policy and national security has been in four years? Well, I live a few miles from ground zero in NYC and I can tell you that the Freedom Tower is way above the New York skyline, once again defining our supremacy and resolve as a great democracy. And since President Obama has been in office, no sky scrapers in America has been attacked and neither has our Pentagon and so far, we are yet to be attack from within by al Qaeda. i say that's a pretty darn good record on our President's leadership if you're keeping score.

The only thing that goes unanswered at CNN.com...is how 7,000 comments or so later on any given political news story...anyone in their right mind who still considers themselves an independent voter, and still thinks that anything they ever wrote to that one given news story around here...thinks...they would ever really change CNN's slant in the first place.

The spin doctors managed to convince the very man who won the debate, President Barack Obama, that somehow he did something wrong.

But those poll numbers never materialized. At best, it was a point or two. And given that no-one younger was asked, or that only landlines get called or something...can't say there's much doubt a point or two really matters.

Paul Ryan gave no specifics on the war in Syria and no specifics on intervention against Iran's nuclear ambitions or specifics on ending the Afghan war which leads any sensible person to conclude that he and Romney have no foreign policy agenda whatsoever. For example, when he was asked during the debate what a Romney/Ryan ticket would have done differently in Syria, his answer was that the Obama administration waited too long to condemn the violence, to recognize and support the rebels and consult with our allies. When he was asked what a Romney/Ryan administration would have done differently in Iran, he said the Obama administration waited too long to impose sanctions on Iran. (by the way, during GWB's 8 years in office, no sanctions were imposed on Iran. Then when he asked what a Romney/Ryan administration would have done differentyly in Afghanistan, he said O' we agree with the 2014 deadline for withdrawal but only on conditions on the ground. When Vice President Biden told him that any conditions on the ground would have to be dealth wiith by the 250,000 Afghan forces we trained to take over security of their countrty, Ryan was adamant and insisted that withdrawing U.S. troops was the wrong way to go. Well, perhaps Romney's big boys are considering enlisting to finish the war the GOP deliberately and recklessly abandoned and prolonged to invade Iraq.

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help little men by tearing down big men.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn.
You cannot build character and courage by destroying men's initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they can and should do for themselves.

There was a whole lot more written by Magnum12, do you have a reply to the other 10 items mentioned? Sounds like you have a lot of repeatable talking points, is that the truth or just a statement?

October 15, 2012 at 11:48 am |

RMJ

"You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich." Melodrama much? Having that the wealthy pay their fair share will not "destroy" the rich. And the fact that these so-called job creators are NOT creating jobs when their coffers are FULL is proof positive that the "trickle down" we're experiencing is actually the middle class getting ur inated on.

So are you saying that Obama's foreign policy in Libya has failed but Bush's foreign policy in Iraq has succeeded? Then just ask yourself this simple questions...how many Americans have died in Libya in comparison to the Americans who have died in Iraq? Then ask yourself how many Libyan civilians have died in the Libyan war in comparison to how many Iraqi civilians have died since we invaded and destabilized that country? Then ask yourself how long did it take to end the Libyan war (hint: 8 months) in comparison to how long it took end the Iraqi war? (hint: 7 years) And by the way, there is still a civil war brewing in Iraq 7 years after our illegitimate invasion.

He takes a rope out of his Escalade....Ties it around the feet of the dead American embassy workers..Then drives down the campaign trail dragging their dead bodies and shouting this is Obama's fault through his bull &% horn.....Apology not accepted Mitt.....Your a domestic terrorist with absolutely no shame.....You should be arrested for aiding and giving comfort to the enemy!!!! We are still at war!!!!! Un believable.....As for Daryl Issa he should be impeached!!!! We have a terrorist running for president......

Romney has no foreign policy or foreign policy experience, he has GW Bush's advisors.

President Obama has created jobs for 24 straight months.
President Obama has created private sector jobs for 31 straight months. His worst months were his first three,
when Republicans left him an economy losing 700,000 jobs a month.

President Obama has killed Osama bin Ladin and hundreds of other terrorists.

President Obama has Ended the War in Iraq (thousands of US deaths).
President Obama has Begun the drawdown of forces from Afghanistan (thousands of US deaths).
President Obama has Helped overthrow Gaddafi through cautious strategy in Libya (few US deaths).
President Obama has Invested in clean energy, bringing down energy prices.
President Obama has made Wall Street much more consumer-friendly.
President Obama has done a lot for veterans. He implemented a strategic plan to
increase the hiring of Veterans and Military spouses throughout the Federal civil service.

Dave yes
President Obama has created jobs for 24 straight months. But these jobs are either Federal union jobs at IRS or McDonalds
President Obama has created private sector jobs for 31 straight months. See responce above and add many underpaying part time jobs to that number His worst months were his first three, when Republicans left him an economy losing 700,000 jobs a month. Actually they had a Democratic House and Senate making the laws and up until they took over in 2006 the economy was doing very well even after the Damage done by the 911 attack to Wall Street

President Obama has killed Osama bin Ladin and hundreds of other terrorists. I thought the Special Forces Seal Team six did that obama reluctantly agreed after Hillary pressed so actually Hilliary has bigger balls the obama

President Obama has Ended the War in Iraq (thousands of US deaths). He followed the schedule set by Bush for the withdrawel how impressive to claim credit for another mans efforts also look at privious answer and think SEALS!
President Obama has Begun the drawdown of forces from Afghanistan (thousands of US deaths). See answer as stated above this was also in the works
President Obama has Helped overthrow Gaddafi through cautious strategy in Libya (few US deaths). Gaddafi whom destroyed all weapons of mass destruction and stopped all support of Terrorists under agreement with Bush so as to join international banking and we kinda got his attention after Sadam was overthrown. The bank of Lybia also lent obama billions for the bailout that obama won't have to pay back noy Humm.
President Obama has Invested in clean energy, bringing down energy prices. Spent more the the oil companies recieve in 90 years enriching his friends with no success and many failed companies CAN WE SAY bankrupt!
President Obama has made Wall Street much more consumer-friendly. After bailing out all his supporters BOA, Chase, ECT ECt they give him hugh amounts of case but he repaid them with my money.
President Obama has done a lot for veterans. Yes the VA backlog is over 5 times longer then when Bush was Pres. Also he has not do anything to improve Military voting
He implemented a strategic plan toincrease the hiring of Veterans and Military spouses throughout the Federal civil service.Oh yes increasing the Federal payroll see answer one!
Who would brag about this dismal record

Reduce the deficit by half – NOPE, Added more to it than any other president
Get unemployment below 7% – NOPE, Over 8% for 43 straight months
Get us out of Guantanamo Bay – NOPE, Business as usual down there
Reform immigration law – NOPE, Hasn't even introduced legislation

Wow, I bet Obama is smoking 3 packs a day getting ready for the Foreign Policy questions. What in the world does he have to stand on here other than apologizing to radical muslims and failing to protect American citizens. Did he pull us out of Iraq? Yes, but now we lost our staging base to strike Iran if needed. Should have left a skeleton crew in there as planned. Way to go King Obama!

You and your family and Romney boys could enlist to satge a strike on Iran from Iraq. The 100,000 troops we brough home from Iraq are happy to be home with their love ones and to see their kids grow up. You and your family are free to serve like our soldiers have already done. You'd get by support and prayers.

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CNN's Security Clearance examines national and global security, terrorism and intelligence, as well as the economic, military, political and diplomatic effects of it around the globe, with contributions from CNN's national security team in Washington and CNN journalists around the world.